Chapter 1
THE LAST EVIDENCE Chapter 1 — 2:17 AM
At exactly 2:17 AM, Arin woke up screaming.
For a few seconds, he couldn't understand where he was.
His bedroom was dark.
Rain was hitting the window, and the ceiling fan was turning slowly above him.
His heart was beating hard.
Then he heard it.
Knock.
Knock.
Knock.
Someone was knocking on his bedroom door.
Arin lived alone.
He stared at the door.
"Who is it?"
No answer.
He reached for his phone.
2:17 AM.
The knocking came again.
This time, Arin got out of bed.
He took two steps toward the door.
Then his phone started ringing.
UNKNOWN NUMBER
He stared at the screen.
After a few seconds, he answered.
"Hello?"
Nothing.
Only static.
"Who is this?"
A woman's voice finally whispered:
"Don't open the door."
Arin froze.
"Who are you?"
Silence.
Then the woman whispered again.
"You've already opened it once."
The call ended.
Arin slowly looked at the bedroom door.
Something moved underneath it.
A small object slid across the floor and stopped near his feet.
It was a photograph.
Arin picked it up.
The photograph showed an old house surrounded by trees.
Broken windows.
Dark walls.
An overgrown garden.
Arin stared at it.
He had never seen the house before.
At least...
he thought he hadn't.
He turned the photograph over.
Three words were written on the back.
YOU WERE THERE.
His stomach tightened.
He looked at the photograph again.
A woman stood behind an upstairs window.
Long black hair.
A white dress.
A scar across her forehead.
Arin knew her.
She had appeared in his nightmares for almost six months.
Every time he dreamed about her, she stood in the same window.
Every time, he woke before she turned around.
Now she was standing inside a photograph.
Arin looked at the date printed in the corner.
17 JUNE 2012.
He was eight years old that year.
His phone vibrated.
A message appeared.
UNKNOWN NUMBER:
GO TO THE HOUSE.
Another message appeared.
BRING THE PHOTOGRAPH.
Arin immediately called the number.
A recorded message answered.
"The number you are trying to reach is unavailable."
He stared at the photograph again.
Then he noticed something he hadn't seen before.
The woman wasn't looking toward the camera anymore.
She was looking directly at him.
Arin dropped the photograph.
For several seconds, he couldn't move.
Then his phone vibrated again.
One final message appeared.
ASK DANIEL ABOUT BLACKWOOD HOUSE.
Arin immediately called his old friend.
Daniel answered after several rings.
"Arin? It's two in the morning."
"Do you know Blackwood House?"
There was complete silence.
Then Daniel asked:
"Where did you hear that name?"
"I found a photograph."
Another silence.
Finally, Daniel said:
"Arin... don't go there."
"Why?"
Daniel took a deep breath.
"Because someone died there."
"Who?"
"A girl."
"What was her name?"
Daniel's voice became quieter.
"Elena Vale."
Arin looked at the photograph.
The woman standing in the window suddenly looked familiar again.
Daniel continued.
"She died twelve years ago."
Arin looked at the date.
17 JUNE 2012.
"Was it an accident?"
Daniel didn't answer immediately.
Then he said:
"No."
Arin waited.
Daniel finally whispered:
"They said it was a fire."
The call ended.
Arin looked toward his bedroom door.
It was still closed.
But there was one problem.
The three knocks started again.
Knock.
Knock.
Knock.
This time...
they weren't coming from outside the door.
They were coming from inside his bedroom.
Arin slowly turned around.
The photograph was lying on the floor behind him.
And in the photograph...
the woman was no longer standing in the window.
She was standing inside the bedroom.
Right behind him.
Arin couldn't breathe.
Then his phone screen lit up one last time.
UNKNOWN NUMBER:
NOW YOU REMEMBER.
